*LIST* The Best (And Worst) States To Have A Baby

Having a baby can be incredibly exciting, but it can be stressful, too, and the cost can be a big part of that. Medical bills can add up quickly, but it turns out, where you live can make a big difference in the expense for parents, as well as the quality of health care services you get. WalletHub’s new report ranks the Best and Worst States to Have a Baby.

• They compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on 31 factors related to cost and health care accessibility, baby-friendliness and family-friendliness.
• States were rated on factors including the number of pediatricians per capita, the average annual cost of infant care and hospital charges for a conventional delivery.
• Based on all of that, Massachusetts holds onto the number one spot for the fifth year in a row.
• It’s first for both family-friendliness and health care and second for baby-friendliness, but it can be expensive, landing the state at 43rd for cost.
• Louisiana, 41st overall, is first for cost, while Washington, D.C., 10th overall, is number one for baby-friendliness.
• Mississippi comes in dead last, making it the worst state to have a baby. It’s 50th for health care, 49th for family-friendliness and 44th for baby-friendliness, but 24th for cost.

The 10 Best States to Have a Baby

(Check out where your state falls on the list here)

1. Massachusetts
2. North Dakota
3. Minnesota
4. New Hampshire
5. Maine
6. Rhode Island
7. Vermont
8. Washington
9. Iowa
10. Washington, D.C.

The 10 Worst States to Have a Baby

1. Mississippi
2. Alabama
3. Nevada
4. South Carolina
5. Georgia
6. New Mexico
7. Arkansas
8. Florida
9. Oklahoma
10. West Virginia

Source: WalletHub⠀

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